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HENRY CARPENTER, OF NEW YORK NQY Letters Patent No; 72,797, dated December 31,1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN FORM BLOGKS FOE SHAPING "BASKETS.

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Be it known that I, HENRY CARPENTER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Form-Block for Manufacturing Baskets; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification. I

The drawing represents an elevation of my invention partly in section.

This invention relates to a new and improved form-block for manufacturing baskets of taper or conical form, such as peach-baskets.

The invention consists in having the block composed of two equal parts, one of which is fixed or stationary, and the other movable, the movable part being connected to the fixed part by means of a hinge, and having a screw connected to it in such a manner that it may be readily adjusted towards and from the fixed p art, so as to give the desired shape or form to the basket, as hereinafter fully shown and described.

A represents an upright post, on the top of which the form-block is placed. This form-block is composed of two parts, B B, one of which, 13, is fixed or stationary, and may be made separate from the 'post A, and bolted to it, or formed, at the upper end of the post, out of the same piece ofwood. The other part, B, is detached, or made separate from the post and the part B of the block, and connected to it by a. hinge, a, at its upper end. The two parts B B are in the form of a frustu'm of a cone, the two parts being equal in dimensions, as shown in the drawing; and said parts have a groove or recess, 6, made circumferentially in their lower parts, to form a shoulder, c, which extends entirely around the form-block. The hinged or movable part, B, of the formblock has a plate, (2, attached to its under side, the centre of which terminatesin a pendent nut, 0, through which a'scrcw-rod, D, passes, the inner end of said screw-rcdbeing fitted in a'platc, e, placed loosely in a recess, f, in the post, to admit of the screw-rod D moving to conform to the curvilinear motion of the part B of the form-block as it is made to approach or reccde from the part 13 under the action of tho screw-rod, the latter being fitted in a slot, (1/, in the upper part of post A. The outer end of the screw-rod is formed with a crank, E, for the convenience of turning it. By moving the part B of the form-block out from the part B, the

block will be expanded, and said block contracted by moving B towards B.

The operation is as follows: The basket is made in cylindrical form, or nearly so, and is placed upon the form-block, the latter being previously contracted by adjusting B in contact with B. Theinncr hoop g of the basket is fittted on the form-block in the groove or recess 6, the edge of the basket lapping over it. The part B of the form-block is then, by turning the screw-rod D, moved out from the fixed part B, and the basket.

thereby stretched in conical form, the shoulder a of the recess 6 preventing the hoops from slipping upward. The outer hoops h are then fitted on the rim or edge of the basket at its outer side, so as to coincide in position with the hoop g at the inner side, and the two hoops are then nailed together and to the splints of the basket.

In practice, the groove or recess b is covered with metal, in order to admit of the hoop-nails clinching by coming in contact with the metal in being driven through the hoops; or the lower portionof the form of both parts, B B, maybe constructed entirely of metal, and have wooden upper parts attachedto them.

When the basket is properly strctched,'and the hoops secured to it, the part B is moved towards B; and this contraction of the form admits of the finished basket being readily removed from it,

By this simple device, baskets may be stretched and put into the desired shape or form with the greatest facility.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A form-block for shaping or manufacturing peach or other conical baskets, composed-of two parts, one fixed and the other movable, connected by a hinge, and'arrangcd to operate substantially as shown and described.

HENRY CARPENTER.

Witnesses:

WM. F. McNAMAnA, 0. L. Tormrr. 

